The present invention relates to a steering lock device for use in a vehicle such as a motorcar.
It has been known that steering lock devices in which steering is unlocked and start of an engine is permitted on the basis of a judgment on normality of a user with an electronic authenticating function using an electronic key may have a knob for turning a cylinder lock without requiring a mechanical key. In some steering lock devices of this type, electronic authentication is executed with detection of a push on the knob by a detector, an actuator that has locked a turn of a cylinder lock is activated after the authentication is verified, and this activation permits the cylinder lock to be turned and permits the steering to be unlocked.
In the steering lock device of the above-mentioned type, however, the activation of the actuator is terminated with elapse of a predetermined period of time, and there is a possibility that the cylinder lock may be locked again if the cylinder lock is left for a moment without being turned after electronic authentication with a push on the knob. For prevention of this trouble, the actuator has to be kept activated for a long time, and a problem of an increase in electric power consumption is thereby caused.
Once the cylinder lock is turned with the knob from a lock position, through an ACC position and an ON position, to a start position and is thereafter returned to the lock position, the cylinder lock gets locked and cannot be turned immediately to the ACC position. In order to turn again the cylinder lock to the ACC position, therefore, the knob has to be pulled in the lock position and then has to be pushed again and the electronic authentication has to be executed afresh.
Moreover, there is a steering lock device in which an engine having been started once and then stalled cannot be restarted without return of the cylinder lock to the lock position in order to prevent a double starting by a starter. When the engine is stalled accidentally, therefore, a series of steps beginning with the electronic authentication have to be taken over again and restart of the engine is extremely troublesome.
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a steering lock device comprising
a turning member having an engagement groove formed on an outer circumferential portion thereof,
a body for housing the turning member so that the turning member can be moved in backward and forward directions and can be turned,
a detecting section for detecting a backward push of the turning member,
a control section that executes electronic authentication in cooperation with portable equipment, upon receiving a detection signal from the detecting section, and that transmits an activation signal to an actuator after verification of the authentication, and
a lock member that is activated by the actuator and that engages with the engagement groove of the turning member so as to prevent the turning member from being turned;
wherein a movable member is provided that blocks the engagement groove to prevent the lock member from reengaging with the engagement groove once engagement of the lock member with the engagement groove of the turning member is released with activation of the actuator and that terminates the prevention of the re-engagement when the turning member is pulled forward.
In the steering lock device according to the present invention, the movable member may be movably provided in the engagement groove of the turning member and be connected to the turning member through a biasing member, so that a backward push of the turning member causes the movable member to be biased backward by the biasing member and to block the engagement groove after release of engagement of the lock member with the engagement groove and so that a forward pull of the turning member causes the movable member to be pulled and moved with the turning member and to open the engagement groove to allow engagement of the lock member with the engagement groove.
In accordance with the steering lock device of the present invention, the turning member is prevented from being locked again unless being pulled out once electronic authentication is executed with a push on the turning member and once the turning member is unlocked with the activation of the lock member by the actuator. Therefore, the actuator does not have to be activated for a long time and thus electric power consumption can be reduced.
With this steering lock device having a function of preventing double starting by a starter it is no longer necessary to perform the troublesome steps of re-starting the engine in case of an accidental engine stall or the like, that is, the necessity to repeat the steps beginning with the electronic authentication with a pull and a re-push of the turning member.
When the lock member moves out of the engagement groove of the turning member, the movable member biased by the biasing members slips under the lock member and thus prevents the lock member from reentering into the engagement groove of the turning member. In this manner, the turning member can be prevented from being unnecessarily locked, with a simple configuration.